ТАSHKENT, July 30. /Dunyo IA/.  Today, a ceremony was held to present the Order of Manas, 1^st Degree to President of Uzbekistan Shavkat Mirziyoyev, reports Dunyo IA correspondent.

According to the press service of the Head of our State, the highest state award of the Kyrgyz Republic was presented to the President of Uzbekistan by President Sadyr Japarov.

Expressing his deep gratitude to the President and the entire fraternal people of Kyrgyzstan, the Leader of Uzbekistan emphasized that he views this high award as recognition of the joint efforts to strengthen the centuries-old bonds of true friendship and good-neighbourliness between the two peoples, as well as the shared aspiration to elevate relations between Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan to a new historic level, that of an alliance.

Established in 1996, Order of Manas is one of the highest state awards of the Kyrgyz Republic. It is conferred upon citizens of the Kyrgyz Republic and foreign nationals for outstanding contributions to strengthening statehood, developing international cooperation, peace, friendship and mutual understanding among peoples.